Shoaib's IPL status still unclear

The PCB upheld their five-year ban on Shoaib Akhtar following a hearing yesterday but gave him the green signal to participate in the Indian Premier League. However, the Kolkata Knight Riders are waiting for the go-ahead from the IPL governing body.

"Any player joining us from within our group is good news. But we haven't got any official word and we would just like to have that. But it is not the question of one franchisee but the IPL themselves. They have a rule and code of conduct and once we clear all that then only the franchisee comes into play," Bhattacharya told news channel CNN-IBN.

Bhattacharya said that while the team was eager to have him on board they were willing to abide by the guidelines.

"Shoaib wants to be a part of the team. We will have to look at his physical fitness and then we will take a decision to play him. But whatever we want or we would like, everything depends on what the IPL decides and we would be abide by the IPL laws," he further stated.